Dredging apparatus



April 24, 1928. 1,667,219

J. REAM DREDGING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 29. 1926 INVENTOR.

; *'1 A I I nnlsly/ nmnwn BY @,e i@ V gayulllW-Agmw l .3l ff 3 /m ATTORNEY:

Patented pr. 24, 1928.

, UNITED STATES JOHN BEAM, or sAoRAMnn'ro, cALrroRNrA.

DREDGING APPARATUS;

Application mea November e9, 192e.` serial neusten.

rllhis invent-ion relates to dredgingapparatus in general and in particular to apparatus for .dredging gravel, and sand from bed rock below water level.V

The objects of the invention are to provide an auxiliary to a gold dredge, either mounted on the same hull or on a separa-te scow, which' will `facilitate the recovery of` gravel and sand lying below the reach of the regular bucket gold dredge, in fact to clean the very bed rock itself, so as to recover the large proportion `of gold or other values which accumulate onk this lower stratum. Also such apparatus which maybe lowered into any depth of water and which may easily be emptied of its recovered values.

Briefly described my invention comprises a cylindrical steel watertight shell with aV vertically extending pipe, and which shell may be lowered to the bottom of a river already dredged of its larger gravel, and the shell mounting apparatus which `will gather up by means of a revolving fan the finer loose material in its vicinity and retain the same in a receptacle under the shell so that by hauling the shell out of the water the receptacle may .easily be emptied and the shell again lowered to repeat the operation.

The watertight lcompartment of the shell carries the machinery which operates theV device and also provides space for men to startand stop the machinery and determine when the receptacle is filled and to give the signal for hauling up.

In the drawing accompanying this speci-V fication the device is shownk mounted on a scow which as stated may or may not be the scow of a gold dredge.

Fig. 1 shows in full lines the scow with apparatus lowered to the river bottom, and .in dotted position the apparatus hauled to the deck in emptying position over a pan.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the shell showing its operating machinery within and suction gravel fan below.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the shell as taken from the lines 3 3 of Fig. 2.

ln further detail at 1 is a dredger scow 4:floating in a river 2, the bottom or bed rock below which is indicated at 3.

The scow mounts a derriclr frame 4.- provided with a head sheave 5 over which haulage ropes 6 suspend the shell 7 here shown as resting on the bottom of the river and with the pipe 8 of `the shell projecting above the wateri iflifrom thehead sheave 5 the ropes extend to a suitablehoist 9 so that `the shell may be raised `orlowered in the water, and when raised is,throughy propery manipulation of the hoist, pulledover to the dotted positionk by l`a `rope 10 then secured to the shell and passing to anotherdrum 9 of the hoist, and

when( in.r this position the shell lies` atan angle with its lower edge in a heavy ytray 11 or its equivalent, such as a sump inthe deck of the scow. n i y In detailFigures 2` and?) show the shell 7 to be cylindrical with a conical top 7 f from which extends the stand pipeS ymadein sections likea well Acasing sothatone section after `the other may be screwed onto provide the necessary `length depending on the depth of water being operated in. y K

At the outside of the shell are any desired numbercor style lof rope attaching hookspr bales aslat and the shellis providedjwith a recessed bottom ltproviding a `considerable' space v to the' lower edge of the shell and y wliiich lower edge is provided with openings or scallopsas at k15 through which the loose material vi-srdrawn inwardly by a revolving fan 16 mounted `cna vertical shadc'tkl'?` sup;k

Y ported in bearings 18419-20 and provided with a stufingbox 21 to prevent leakage abovethebottom plate or floor 1,4. o

`'Thfsshaft 1T andfan 16 are driven at high speed by` anvy'desired means, but preferably by an electric motory 22.mounted within the device and suitably geared'to the shaft as indicated at 23. 'The motor receiving its power through service wires 24 extending up f the pipe 8 and to the scow 'for tapping to its power source.

The fan 16 has three or more blades and operates in a circular opening in an annular pan like receptacle 25 provided with outer and inner inwardly and downwardly slanting walls 25 and 25 respectively and the ends of the fan blades are shaped to Work close to this inner beveled or conical Wall, and the blades, oit which there` are three or more, are so shaped as to produce a powerfulk suction along a small space left between the bottom of the receptacle 25 and the lower edge of the cylindrical shell 7 so that the water, small gravel and sand are thrown up` wardly and outwardly through the fan with a result that the material 26 takes the course oil thesmall arrows and falls into the rece tacle while the water takes the course of t e longer arrows and is centrifugally dis charged through a series of the openings 27 cut through the shell just below the bottom plate or floor 14.

The amount ot' material within the receptacle is determined from time to time by a man (not shown) within the compartment above the ioor by means of a slidable gage rod 28 packed watertight and carrying a plate 29 at its lower end, and when judged by him to be full he stops the motor and signals the scowto be hauled up.

A suitable watertight door or manhole is provided as at operative from withinthe compartmentl so that man may open the same and step out before the device is tipped to the dotted position, tho it is contemplated that men may enter or leave through the stand pipe 8 it desired either by means o'l`r a suitable rope lift or ladder not shown.

Y I claim: y

l. Dredging apparatus vcomprising a eylindrical watertight casing, a vertical shaft revolvably supported therein and extending through the bottom thereof, a propeller-like tan mounted on the lower end of said shaft, means within the casing for driving said an and an annular receptacle surrounding the tan adapted to receive material drawn through thefan upon revolving the same.

2. Dredging apparatus comprising a cylindrical watertight casing, a vertical shaft revolvably supported therein and extending i Vthrough the bottom thereof, al propellerlike tan mounted on the lower end of said shaft, means within the casing for driving said fan, an annular receptacle surrounding the :tan adapted to receive material drawn through thel fan upon revolving the same, said receptacle provided with a bottom spaced above the lower edge of the casing and said easing provided with openings around its lower edge.

3. Dredging apparatus, comprising a cylindrical watertighteasing, avertieal shaft revolvably supported therein and extending through the bottom thereof, a propeller-like tan mounted on the lower end of said shaft, means within the casing for driving said fan, an annular receptacle surrounding the fan adapted to receive material drawn through 'he tan upon revolving the same, said receptacle provided with a bottom spaced above the lower edge of the casing and said casing provided with openings around its lower edge and a row of openings above the receptacle. i

a. In a structure as specified in claim l, said annular receptacle being providedwith a central opening in which the fan revolves surrounded by a wall slanting inwardly and downwardly.

5. ln a structure as speciiied in claim l. said annular receptacle being provided with a central opening in which the tan revolves surrounded by a wall `slanting inwardly and downwardly andthe ends of the fan blades being slanted to tit closely thereagainst.

(i. Dredging apparatus Comprising a cylindrical easing, a stack extending therefrom, means for lowering the easing into water, a prime mover within the casing and gravel gathering` apparatus mounted under the bottom ot' the easing operated by said prime mover.r

T. Dredging apparatus comprising a cylindrical,watertight casing provided with a bottom, an annular receptacle for gravel spaced below said bottom, means for gathering gravel and depositing same into said receptacle and a slidable gage ext-ending through said bottom adapted or gaging the amount of material therein deposit-ed.

JOHN BEAM. 

